You can start a lawn care business in Florida for roughly $6,500-$13,000 with used equipment, and basic mowing, edging and blowing doesn’t need a state license. You’ll want an LLC, a local business tax receipt and liability insurance. The one license that matters is the state LCLM license from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and you only need it if you’ll apply fertilizer or pesticides.
Florida grass grows 12 months a year, so demand doesn’t disappear in winter the way it does up north. Add retirees who’d rather pay than mow and HOAs that enforce lawn standards, and you’ve got a steady customer base. The hard parts are pricing and route density, not paperwork.
What can you do without a license?
Mowing, edging and trimming, leaf blowing and basic weed control. That’s where most new businesses start.
Landscaping work (planting trees and shrubs, flower beds, hardscaping like pavers and retaining walls, irrigation installation) can bring in local licensing. Specialty services such as fertilization and weed control, irrigation repair, tree trimming and removal, and pest control may need licenses too. Plan to add them once the mowing route is paying the bills.
Why form an LLC for a lawn care business?
Your crew runs power equipment on other people’s property every day. If a mower throws a rock through a car window, the LLC keeps that claim against the business and away from your personal assets.
It also makes you look established (“Sunshine Lawn Care LLC” reads better than “Mike’s Mowing” on a bid to an HOA), and it gives you a structure that’s ready when you hire.
How do you set up the LLC?
- Choose a name. Check availability on the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) website. It must be unique and include “LLC.” Pick something easy to spell, that fits on truck lettering, and that doesn’t tie you to one town if you plan to expand.
- File Articles of Organization. File online through Sunbiz for $125. You’ll need the business name, principal address, a registered agent (yourself or a service) and member or manager information. Processing takes 2-3 business days.
- Write an operating agreement. Even a single-member LLC should have one. Banks often ask for it.
- Get an EIN. It’s free from the IRS at irs.gov, and you’ll get it immediately when you apply online.
- Open a business bank account. Run every dollar of income and every expense through it. Mixing personal and business money can undermine your LLC’s protection.
Which licenses and permits do you need?
Local business tax receipt. Most Florida cities and counties require one (it used to be called an occupational license). Contact your county tax collector’s office. It typically costs $30-$150 a year.
LCLM license, if you’ll fertilize or treat weeds. Applying fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides requires an LCLM license from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). You complete an approved 8-hour training program, pass the Limited Certification exam, pay a $50 application fee, and renew every four years with continuing education. The LCLM covers lawn and ornamental pest control and fertilizer application. Restricted-use pesticides need a full Commercial Pesticide Applicator license.
We’d get the LCLM early. Fertilization and weed control are easy add-ons to a weekly mowing account, and you can’t legally offer them without it.
Landscaping and tree work. Florida doesn’t license landscaping contractors at the state level, but many counties license irrigation installation and larger landscaping projects. Some municipalities require a tree worker license, and large tree work often needs a permit either way. Check with your county before you take that kind of job.
What insurance does a lawn care business need?
| Coverage | Why you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | Property damage and injuries to third parties, plus legal defense. Aim for $1,000,000 per occurrence | $400-$1,000 a year for new businesses |
| Commercial auto | Your personal auto policy doesn’t cover business use of your truck and trailer | $1,500-$3,000 a year |
| Equipment (inland marine) | Theft or damage to mowers and handhelds | 1-3% of equipment value a year |
| Workers’ compensation | Required in Florida at 4 or more employees (or any employees in some industries) | Lawn care rates run 5-10% of wages |
General liability isn’t optional in practice. Commercial clients ask for an insurance certificate before they’ll sign, and one damaged car or injured bystander can end an uninsured business.
What equipment do you need to start?
| Item | New cost | Used cost |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial push mower | $400-$800 | $200-$400 |
| Commercial walk-behind mower (36″) | $3,000-$5,000 | $1,500-$3,000 |
| String trimmer (commercial) | $300-$500 | $150-$300 |
| Backpack blower | $400-$600 | $200-$350 |
| Edger | $200-$400 | $100-$200 |
| Hand tools (rake, shovel, pruners) | $100-$200 | N/A |
| Trailer (6×12 minimum) | $1,500-$3,000 | $800-$1,500 |
| Basic startup total | $6,000-$11,000 | $3,000-$6,000 |
Buy commercial-grade, even used. Residential mowers may last 500 hours; commercial mowers last 2,000+. When you run equipment every day, the cheaper mower ends up costing more. Common commercial brands are Exmark, Scag, Hustler, Gravely and John Deere for mowers, and Stihl, Echo, Husqvarna and RedMax for handhelds.
As you grow, the usual upgrades are a 52″-60″ zero-turn mower ($8,000-$15,000), an enclosed trailer ($5,000-$10,000), a second set of equipment for another crew, and aerators, dethatchers and spreaders.
Budget for upkeep too: blade sharpening (weekly in peak season), oil and filter changes, belts and spindles, trimmer line and edger blades. Many owners start with the truck they already have, as long as it can tow 3,500-5,000 lbs.
How should you price lawn care in Florida?
Most residential work is priced per mow, based on lawn size and conditions:
| Lawn size | Per mow price |
|---|---|
| Small (under 5,000 sq ft) | $35-$50 |
| Medium (5,000-10,000 sq ft) | $45-$70 |
| Large (10,000-20,000 sq ft) | $65-$100 |
| Extra large (20,000+ sq ft) | $100+ |
Charge more for gate access problems, slopes and obstacles, lots of fence lines and beds to trim, or a property far from your other accounts. Operators who bill hourly typically charge $45-$75 an hour solo or $75-$125 for a two-person crew.
For monthly contracts, multiply the per-mow price by 4.3 for weekly service or 2.15 for bi-weekly. Annual contracts can fold in aeration, overseeding and seasonal cleanups.
To set your prices, work out your hourly operating cost (equipment, fuel, insurance, labor), add a 20-30% profit margin, estimate how long each property takes, and price so every job hits that hourly target.
The most common mistake is pricing low to win work. Cheap prices attract customers who’ll leave the moment someone undercuts you. Price for profit from the first lawn.
How do you find your first customers?
Door-to-door is the most effective method for a new lawn care business. Leave door hangers on lawns that need work, knock and introduce yourself, and mention the neighbor you already service. Work the streets around your existing customers, because a tight route is where the profit is.
Your truck and trailer are rolling ads. Basic lettering with your name, phone number and services costs $200-$500.
Online, set up a free Google Business Profile with photos of your work and ask every happy customer for a review. A one-page website with your services, service area and contact details is enough to look credible. Facebook and Nextdoor bring in neighborhood leads if you’re active there. Lead platforms like Thumbtack, Angi, Lawn Love and GreenPal charge per lead or take a percentage, and results vary by area.
Should you build a route or chase commercial accounts?
Build the route first. Start in one neighborhood, offer neighbors a discount to join the same route, and don’t expand until it’s dense. Every minute of driving between lawns is unpaid time and fuel.
Commercial accounts (HOAs, property managers, businesses) pay more per account, run on regular schedules and have one decision-maker. The trade-offs are competitive bidding, 30-60 day payment cycles, contract requirements and insurance certificates. They’re a good second step once your cash flow can handle waiting to be paid.
When should you hire, and who?
Hire when you’re turning down work regularly, your route is full, or you want a day off that doesn’t cost you customers.
Most lawn care businesses use employees for crews. Employees work when, where and how you say, use your equipment, and give you more control over quality, but you withhold taxes and carry workers’ comp at 4+ employees. Subcontractors set their own schedules and use their own equipment, but they have to be truly independent under the IRS tests, and quality is harder to control.
When you hire, register for Florida reemployment (unemployment) tax, set up federal withholding (Gusto or QuickBooks Payroll can handle it), get workers’ comp once it’s required, and verify work authorization on Form I-9.
What are the ongoing requirements?
File your LLC annual report with Florida by May 1 each year ($138.75). Keep insurance current, since a lapse can void coverage and cost you commercial accounts. Renew the LCLM license every four years if you hold one. Pay quarterly estimated federal taxes, reemployment tax quarterly if you have employees, and your annual federal return.
Keep records of everything deductible: mileage, equipment purchases and repairs, fuel, insurance, marketing and subcontractor payments.
What does it cost to start a lawn care business in Florida?
| Expense | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| LLC formation | $125 |
| Business tax receipt | $30-$150 |
| LCLM license (if fertilizing) | $100-$200 |
| General liability insurance | $400-$1,000 |
| Commercial auto insurance | $1,500-$3,000 |
| Equipment (used) | $3,000-$6,000 |
| Trailer (used) | $800-$1,500 |
| Marketing materials | $200-$500 |
| Initial fuel/supplies | $200-$300 |
| Total | $6,500-$13,000 |
Few businesses let you get started for that little. One more thing before your first job: use a written agreement with every customer, even a one-page one. Written terms on price, frequency and cancellation head off most disputes before they start.
Get the paperwork out of the way
IncCraft handles your LLC formation quickly while you focus on equipment and marketing. We’ll file your Articles of Organization, get your EIN and provide registered agent service.
Get started with your Florida lawn care LLC today.